Defying the Stars
by L0n3ly.Wnd3r3r
Summary: The nature of soul seeing is a hard and shifting process, just ask Najida, Princess of Bandits. This is her story after all.
1. Volume 1

_A girl with a long midnight shaded ponytail and half her head shaved enters the small shop. She is dressed in warm colors and tribal patterns. Her skin glows with a delicate tan and various tattoos sprawled across her body. A scimitar is sheathed at her side with beads and feathers. Round light blue eyes meet Tack's. She flushes and shyly starts speaking.  
_  
I-I know about Princess Yum Yum and your relationship with her, but...

 _She pauses and inhales, eyes flickering in fear, she kneels before Tack._

I can see the threads that bind soulmates together, and I, Najida Namrah Rajida, am bound to you. But your gentle soul is bound to more than one person. So I am here to dedicate my life to you. I understand that fate will want you to go with the princess, but I am here to defy it.

 _As she speaks, tears are rolling down her cheeks and dropping like raindrops to the ground. So she waits for an answer_.  
 _  
Confusion struck Tack like a thunderbolt. Here he was, standing in front of a beautiful warrior that confessed her eternal love to a simple, silent cobbler. Plus he_ ** _JUST MET_** _her, he had no idea if she was right, or if destiny was right. His mouth swiveled around as he thought, but he finally rasped out,_

I-I don't know you yet, so I can neither accept nor decline. I would be happy to let you stay here-

 _He was quickly cut off by a warm and firm grasp on his porcelain skin, and the girl began urgently speaking._

No, no, I simply **HAVE** to get you back home with me, please pack your things.

 _Now thoroughly confused, Tack felt suddenly light and then nothing. Of course this terrifies Najida, who hurriedly packs everything with a quickness and dexterity rivaling Tack's proficiency with string. She takes everything and mounts her horse, Adilah. She manages to go by the skin of her teeth out of the city and meets with her bandit subordinates. Her right hand, well actually more accurately her left hand man greets her. He is a tall, rugged, and stocky man. He is flanked by a small, thin man and the most normal, indistinct, man imaginable. You've seen this man at least twenty times per day, and still wouldn't be able to identify him. The three kneel down before her, the rugged one speaking quietly._


	2. Volume 2

_She manages to go by the skin of her teeth out of the city and meets with her bandit subordinates. Her right hand, well, more accurately her left hand man greets her. His name is Altair. He is a tall, rugged, and stocky man. He is flanked by Arif, a small, thin man and Abdul, the most normal, indistinct, man imaginable. You've seen this man at least twenty times per day, and still wouldn't be able to identify him. The three kneel down before her, Altair speaking quietly with widened eyes._

That's Tack! He was the one who ran into...your uncle, two years ago.

 _Najida's eyes flashed with irritation, of course she knew all of that about her soulmate! She steeled herself for the question she knew would be a little tricky to answer._

Why did you bring him here…. unless?

 _She sighed in relief. Of course he understood, he was with her through... everything._

Yes, you are right. Let's go back to camp, I can explain everything to everyone, once Tack wakes up that is.

 _Altair grinned at how carefully and gently Naji looked at and handled Tack. Of course his thoughts travelled back to when Naji had helped him with his own soulmate, Aretha. Her advice was indispensable, and he used it on a daily basis._

 _His thoughts turned darker as he thought on her father, Abbas the Wicked, and how she would come crying and begging for his help against her father. Whenever he thought on that man, he could always count on Naji to get him to snap out of it, like now._

Altair? What is it? Thinking about **him** again?

 _He gave a curt nod, appreciating how little movements conveyed the same meaning of words. A true testament to how well Naji knew him, and how well he knew Naji. He made a silent prayer to Allah that Tack and Naji would get to know each other better than he knew Naji. He was surprised by her words._

Altair, we will have to postpone the celebration of my soulmate. I think that I will need to get Tack to know me better than he could ever know The Princess.

 _He knew that Naji had a reason to say this, so he patiently waited for her to address everyone else. Of course he detected the bitterness in her voice. His thoughts wandered back to when he felt the same way early in his and Aretha's courtship whenever she would talk to other men. Now, he felt the need to protect her at all costs. He was wary of other men, but trusting of Aretha. He snapped out of it as soon as he arrived at camp. He dismounted quickly into Aretha's arms._

 _Najida normally didn't allow help with dismounting, but she allowed Arif and Abdul to help her since she had Tack to deal with. She quietly ordered the two to start setting up Tack's things in the empty tent that was next to her own tent. She cradled him in her arms and carefully strode towards his tent. She had made sure it was the softest and comfiest that the tribe could offer. Laying him down on the bed she had made for him, she delicately kissed his forehead and whispered to him._

Tack...wake up soon...


End file.
